Puttin’ on the dog show

This is one of the few five-day dog events in this region.

By LAURE CIOFFI

VINDICATOR PENNSYLVANIA BUREAU

NEW CASTLE, Pa. — It’s not unusual for Misty Mondok to travel three or four hours each weekend to attend a dog show.

Mondok, of Sharon, a professional American Kennel Club dog handler, however, won’t have to go very far this weekend.

She will be taking her 11 charges to the Memorial Classics Dog Show — a five-day event — at the Lawrence County Fairgrounds.

It’s one of the few five-day events in this region, which makes it attractive to someone like Mondok — who travels with numerous dogs.

“It’s better for us because we can stay at one location and we have only one set up,” she said.

Dogs of all shapes and sizes will be converging on the show grounds, about five miles east of New Castle, starting Thursday. The event is a combined effort of the New Castle, Butler and Trumbull County Kennel Clubs and boasts hundreds of different breeds of dogs each day.

Show is growing

“It’s becoming bigger and bigger every year,” said Jon Thompson of Warren, president of the Trumbull County Kennel Club. The Trumbull club is in charge of the Thursday and Sunday shows. The Lawrence County Kennel Club handles Friday and Monday, and Butler County is in charge of Saturday’s show.

Paula Mondok, show chairwoman for the Trumbull County Kennel Club and Misty’s mother, said she was pleasantly surprised with the number of entrants this year.

On Saturday there are more than 1,700 entrants, and Sunday there will be more than 1,600 dogs.

“With the [recent] gas prices, we thought it would be a lot lower,” she said.

But with the five-day event, dog breeders and handlers have a better chance of coming off with more points to achieve the coveted American Kennel Club Championship.

Dogs compete against for points. According to AKC rules, the more dogs they beat in competition, the more points awarded. After achieving a certain number of points, a dog is considered an AKC Champion.

Good for families

Jim Martin, overall chairman of the five-day event, bills it as a nice family outing, even for those not breeding or showing dogs.

“I think it’s great for a family day. It’s great for kids to see all kinds of dogs,” said Martin.

Thompson agrees, noting it’s a great way to learn about different breeds and find breeders.

“We all started someplace. We all started with just pets and then you get the bug,” he said.

While it’s all about dogs, the show is also considered a boon for Lawrence County.

JoAnn McBride, county tourism director, said the Memorial Classics Dog Show weekend brings people into the community renting hotel rooms, eating at restaurants and buying things such as gasoline and pet supplies.

“It’s getting bigger and bigger every year,” she said.

Martin said those competing will have every type of overnight arrangements from staying at area hotels to sleeping in cars and even luxury travel campers.

Helping out

Organizers say the Lawrence County Fair Board has accommodated the show in just about every way from helping construct a new building for indoor show rings to putting in permanent water and sewer connections for up to 30 motor homes.

Martin encourages those looking to buy a dog to attend the show and talk to breeders about their different breeds. “Not all breeders may want to talk to you, but you will find a lot who do,” he said.

Misty Mondok says she’s happy to talk to people about her dogs or AKC handling as long as she’s not busy grooming or showing her dogs.

“I was raised as a dog-show kid. I think it’s a great way to learn respect and responsibility,” she said of the sport.

cioffi@vindy.com